A climate-focused nonprofit has come under scrutiny for its extensive ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its significant financial contributions to environmental initiatives in the United States.
According to tax filings obtained by Fox News Digital, the Energy Foundation, which refers to itself as "Energy Foundation China," has wired millions of dollars to fund climate initiatives and environmental groups in the U.S. while also conducting the majority of its operations in China.
The organization, which claims to be headquartered in San Francisco, contributed $3.8 million to initiatives in the U.S. last year, including to groups advocating for the phasing out of coal and the electrification of the transportation sector.
Critics, however, argue that these contributions are damaging not only to the U.S. economy but also to national security, as they empower China, which holds control over the minerals and materials necessary for green energy technologies.
"The Energy Foundation's ties to China are both extremely disturbing and reprehensible," said Tom Pyle, president of the Institute for Energy Research. "These environmental organizations, the recipients of this money, are, in essence, sacrificing our national security and empowering China."
The organization's extensive ties to the CCP are also raising red flags. The Energy Foundation's CEO and President Ji Zou previously served as the deputy director general of China's National Center for Climate Change Strategy, while several other staff members have had high-ranking positions in Chinese government agencies.
The revelation of the Energy Foundation's funding for U.S.-based climate initiatives comes during a congressional probe led by House Natural Resources Committee Republicans. The panel has been investigating the influence of the CCP on American environmental activist groups.
"Sadly, radical eco-activists in America do more to advance the interests of the CCP than promoting commonsense energy and environmental policies in the United States," said a Natural Resources Committee aide.
This lack of action on domestic energy production and reliance on China for critical minerals and materials has raised concerns about the U.S.'s future energy security.
While the U.S. remains the largest global producer of oil and gas, Chinese companies have established a significant foothold in green energy markets. The nation produces the majority of lithium-ion batteries, a key component of electric vehicles (EVs), and dominates the global solar supply chain.
According to a July 2022 International Energy Agency (IEA) report, China has a greater than 80% share in all manufacturing stages of solar panel production and produces 95% of global polysilicon, ingot, and wafer supplies.
Critics argue that if the U.S. continues to rely on Chinese production for essential green energy technologies, it will ultimately weaken the nation's economy and national security.
The Energy Foundation did not respond to a request for comment, but a spokesperson for the Natural Resources Defense Council, one of the groups that received funding from the organization, stated that they do not receive any funding from Chinese sources.
The congressional probe into the Energy Foundation and other nonprofits with ties to China is ongoing. However, it is clear that the group's funding and operations raise serious concerns about the potential influence of the CCP on U.S. environmental policies and energy independence.